Reed wind musical instrument



JaLn. 5 1926.

1,568,460 E. LEGLER, JR., ET AL REED WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 27, 1920 ATTORNEY.

E. LEGLER, JR., ET AL REED WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Jan. 5 1926.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 27, 1920 t/ 755 OR.

' *ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 5, 192 5.

UNITED STAT i in."

EDVTARD LEGLEE, JR., AND ALEXANDER K0 5 ASSIGNOR TQ 1. OF FRESNO. CALIFORNIA; SAID KOHL SAID LEE-LER.

REED \VINID MUSICAL INSTRUIYTENT- Application filed October 27', 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Eownnn LneLnn, Jr., and Annie-incur; Koran. citizens of the United States, and residents of Fresno, in the county o1 Fresno and the State of Calitornia. have invented a new and useful In provement in Reed \Vind Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improved mu sical instrument and more especially to an instrument which will give a tone corresponding to the length of the air space between the mouthpiece and a slot opening. The objects to be accomplished are the construction of a reed tone forming instrument in which the operator can produce varied true tones of a clear quality by means of a slide on said instrument. Other objects are to produce an instrument of the type described in which a slide is substituted for holes and fingering and a glissando efi'ect is thus produced in the music. We accomlish these and other objects hereinafter reerred to by means of the device hereinafter described and illustrated on the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows a top view of the instrument complete. Figure 2 is a side view of the same instrument. Figure 3 is a separate view of a slideway and a slide therein. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View along the line 90-41 in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line yy in Fig. 1. Figure 6 is a separate enlarged view of the mouth piece.

In said drawing 13 is the main body of the instrument consisting of a tube having a bell B at one end, a goose neck formed end B opposite to the bell B and a mouth piece C. The portion of the body between the bell B and the mouth piece C is a gradual tapered tube, the smaller end being adjacent to the mouth piece. The mouth piece C is formed of a hollow tube flattened on one side, one end being obliquely tapered so that the flatened portion is longer than the rounded portion of the tube. The oblique portion of the mouth piece is closed and the flattened Eortion adjacent to the oblique end is open.

is a reed clamped to the flattened portion of the mouth piece. Reed D is preferably formed of a flat strip of bamboo wood which is tapered very thin at the end adjacent to the oblique end of the mouth piece, and clamped 1n such position with a clamp E so Serial No. 419,826.

that a current of air forced through the mouth piece will create a sound. The main body of the instrument is provided with an elongated slot which tapers in width in relative proportion to the diameter of the body. G is a slideway formed along the two sides of the slot, G is a slide adapted to slide in said slideway. G is a handle attached to the slide for the purpose of moving it preferably with the right hand. K is a handle by which the instrument is held steady with the left hand. H is a hole in the side of the body of the instrument in such position thereon and of such size that when it is open the higher natural tones of the instrument will be raised one octave. H is a cap [itted over hole H. Cap H is attached. to a rod H having a right angle projection H hinged to the body of the in' strument. H is a continuation of the rod H toward the bell end of the tube and to the end of the slideway G. at which point a portion of the rod H is bent at right angles to rod H and parallel with the rod H and hinged to the body of the instrument with hinge P These rods are bent so that normally the cap H covers the hole H.

M is a hole in the side of the body of the instrument in such position thereon and of such size that when it is open the lower natural tones of the instriuuent are raised one octave. M is a cap titted thereon. Cap M is attached. to a rod M which has two right angle projections h and M which are also parallel to the rod H and are hinged to the body of the instrument with hinges P and P The rods M and H should be in line with each other. The rod H should be bent to remain more closely to the body of the instrument. The handle G should be placed in such a position that when the holes H and M are closed the rods M or H will be locked in such position when handle Gr is in a position to be directly over such rod.

R is a rod "forming part of a device for opening holes H and M. Rod is fulcrumed between its ends at R to the body of the instrument, having a finger pedal R at one end and two leaf springs R and R attached at right angles to rod R. The spring R is placed under rod H and spring R is placed under rod M in such relation that when the pedal R is depressed the rods M and H will normally raise and open holes H and M. It is observed however that the handle G is at all times directly over either rod H or rod M locking one or the other of those rods in a position to keep the holes H or M closed, and by depressing the pedal R the hole M will be opened when the handle G is over rod H and the hole H will be opened when the handle is over rod M as the springs R or R will bend if the rod to which it is applied is in such locked position.

Our experiments have shown that a musical instrument constructed as above described will produce a tone somewhat similar in uality to the saxophone and the sliding means will dispense with fingering and in performing thereon will produce a glissando eii ect in the music desirable in certain forms of music.

It is noted that the slideway G should be constructed long enough to permit the slot G to be entirely covered and uncovered with slide G and the springs M and H normally keep the holes M and H closed. R is a spring for normally holding up pedal. R

WVe claim as new and ask for Letters Patent:

1. A musical instrument consisting of a 't-apering tube having a mouth piece with a reed, adapted to vibrate, means for varying the tones produced thereby consisting of an elongated slot, a slideway on the two sides of the slot, and a slide disposed to slide in said slideway and adapted to vary the size of the air space between the mouth piece and the open portion of the slot substantially as described.

2. A musical instrument consisting of a tube having a mouth piece at one end containing a reed, a slot lengthwise in said tube, a slideway attached to the tube adapted to carry a slide which will limit the length of the slotted opening, and two holes through the wall of the tube adapted to raise the sound produced one octave, and means for closing and opening said holes at will, substantially as described.

3. In a musical instrument of the character described the combination of a tube having a bell opening at one end and a di' minishing diameter from said bell to a mouth piece at the other end, said mouth piece having a reed therein, a slotted opening lengthwise in the wall of the tube, said slotted opening tapering in width from near the bell end of the tube toward the mouth piece approximately in the same relation as the taper of the tube, slide means for limiting the length of the slotted opening, and means for changing one octave the tones made by varying the size of said slotted opening consisting of an auxiliary hole through said tube and means for closing and opening said hole, substantially as described.

l. A musical instrument of the character described comprising a mouthpiece, a continuously flaring tubular body portion provided with a longitudinally extending elongated opening one side thereof, and a Slidably mounted closure for said opening for varying the effective length of said instrument.

5. A reed instrument of the character described comprising a mouthpiece carrying a reed, a flaring tubular body portion provided with a longitudinally extending elon gated opening therein, and a slidably mounted closure member for said opening to vary the effective length of said instrument.

6. A reed instrun'ient of the character described comprising a mouthpiece carrying a reed, a tubular body portion with a substantially uniformly tapering bore and means for mechanically varying the pitch of said instrument continuously without a break between succeeding tones.

7. A musical instrument of the character described comprising a mouthpiece, a conical tubular body portion, and a member for varying the effective length of said instrument to any desired degree within the length of said. body portion.

8. A reed instrument of the character described comprising a mouthpiece carryin a reed, a conical tubular body portion and a member for varying the effective length of said instrumentto any desired degree within the length of said body portion.

EDWARD LEGLER, JR. ALEXANDER KOHL. 

